Aug 9 Tinctures: What is a Tincture? How To Make and Use Tinctures

Many years ago, a friend of mine was telling me about this "weird" herb store that "even" sold TINCTURES! (He looked at me askance, as he said this.) Oh, my goodness! I had to laugh. He was shocked and awed by the fact that these mysterious tinctures (which seem so "witchy," right?) were actually being sold IN A STORE in our city! Now that tinctures have become much more commonplace, especially in good health food stores, it's nice to know exactly what a tincture is! And....did you know you can make your very own? Easily?

A tincture is simply a liquid extract of an herb that you take by mouth. That's the simple definition. And it really IS simple. The nice thing about tinctures is they concentrate the useful chemical constituents and medicinal properties of the herb into a liquid (usually alcohol, a vegetable glycerin, or even apple cider vinegar).

Before I begin, here is my quick personal take on homemade plant medicines: THEY WORK. WAY better, more efficiently, and without the side effects that come with allopathic or OTC (Over the Counter) medications. 'Nuff said.

Tinctures: What is a tincture? Can you make your own tinctures? How do you use tinctures? I'm asked these questions all the time. Even though herbal tinctures are becoming more mainstream, they are still not well-known. Find out about tinctures, and learn to make your own tincture!

Note: There are affiliate links scattered here and there throughout this article. If you click through one and make any kind of purchase, I will receive a very small commission at no extra cost to you! Thank you SO much for helping support Healing Harvest Homestead. --Heidi

How to Make a Tincture

Things You'll Need to Make a Tincture

1) A Solvent

Your solvent is what the herbs soak in to extract the useful plant chemicals. Generally, people use alcohol. You can also use apple cider vinegar or glycerin. I've tried using apple cider vinegar, and it's ok. It is not as strong as alcohol, though, and it has less of a shelf life. I've never even tried glycerin, I have to admit, so I have nothing personal to add about it. I'm just an alcohol fan when it comes to making tinctures.

Why Do I Think Alcohol is the Best Solvent?

Alcohol is able to extract both fat soluble and water soluble molecules from the herb, plus a wider range of the plant constituents. In terms of how much of the beneficial plant chemicals are able to be extracted, alcohol does the best job.

Alcohol is extremely fast acting. If you've ever had a drink, you know how quickly you feel the effects. One of the reasons is that alcohol is absorbed through the mucous membranes directly into your blood stream, and this actually starts happening right in your mouth! The medicinal properties of the herbs in the alcohol tincture can start their amazing work right away!

Tinctures based in alcohol last a LONG time. Seriously. Years! There have been instances where old tinctures have been found that are decades old and are still useful (those made with alcohol, that is). I'm still using tinctures I made several years ago. As long as they are stored in a dark, cool place with a tight lid, they last and last and last!

If you are concerned about the amount of alcohol in a typical dose, don't be. It's rarely ever greater than 1/2 teaspoon. Meagan Visser, over at Growing Up Herbal, is an RN as well as being an herbalist, and she feels it is even fine to use tinctures made with alcohol with children. I'll write about that soon, or you can visit her website for more information.

2) Your Herb(s)

Although many people prefer to use fresh herbs to make tinctures, I do not. I have used fresh St. John's Wort before, and it turned out fine--really lovely, actually. However, I just have this fear (probably unfounded, since I use alcohol for my tinctures) of fresh herbs going bad in my solvent.

Even though I grow or forage for many of my own herbs, and therefore obtain those fresh, I dry them first before tincturing. I'll use them fresh in teas! No problem. But for my tinctures, I personally like freshly dried herbs best. For herbs you don't have available fresh, you can find high quality herbs from Starwest Botanicals! **Their culinary bulk herbs are fabulous too! I like them cut and sifted---again, just personal preference.

3) A Glass Container with a Tight Lid

Mason jars are my favorite containers for tincturing herbs. You can even get them in half-gallon sizes, if you need to make a large quantity! I find that a quart size Mason jar is just fine for most tinctures, though.

4) A Place to Keep Your Tincture While It's Processing

Here is another herbal debate. Some herbalists believe that tinctures need to be kept in a cool, dark place like a cupboard while they process. Others (like me), like to see them! First off, I think they are pretty, and it's fun watching them change. Also, I truly believe the sun from a sunny window provides an energy to the tincture it won't have otherwise. This is called a solar infusion. I've never once had an issue with processing tinctures in a sunny place in all the years I've been making medicines for us! So, I go for a sunny window.

Directions for Making Your Tincture

Step 1) Determine the Ratio of Herb to Alcohol

There are many great resources to help you do this. Depending on the herb, whether or not it's fresh or dried, and even on your own personal beliefs, ratios can vary and still be effective. The most mathematical book I've come across, if you need more structured guidelines, is Richo Cech's book, Making Plant Medicine. Another great resource, if you are new to herbal experiments, is Rosemary Gladstar's Medicinal Herbs. It's the first book I ever purchased, so many years ago, and is where I began my herbal education.

For my tincture today, I'm using a 1:2 ratio of Willow bark to alcohol. I don't measure, by the way. I just eyeball it. That's just the way I do it.

On the left is Willow bark (Salix), 80 proof vodka, and my beloved Mason jar.

Step 2) Prepare Your Jar

Make sure your jar is super clean! I just use extremely hot water and soap.

Step 3) Add Herbs & Alcohol

Place your herbs in the jar, then pour your alcohol (I use vodka) over the herbs to within an inch of the top of the jar. Shake well.

Step 4) Find a Quiet Place for Your Tincture to Process

I like to see mine, as I said---so mine go in a window. The other thing about being able to see your tinctures is that you will be reminded to shake them once a day or so.

Here is my tincture shelf in the kitchen. It's amazing what you can see when you take a picture! I need to add a bit more alcohol to this jar of Willow! :-) There is a bit of herb above the liquid--That's a no-no.

Step 5) Shake Daily

OK---This is not super essential, but it's a good idea. Shaking your tincture as it processes helps keep the herb in the most contact with the solvent. Also, it keeps you in touch with your tincture. You can watch the changes happening! If you don't get to it every day, a few times a week is fine.

Step 6) Wait

Most tinctures are ready to use after four to six weeks of infusing. I don't recommend any sooner than this. In fact, I have had some tinctures processing for over a year, and not only are they super strong, they are just fine. I've never once had dried plant matter go bad in alcohol.

Step 7) Strain out the Herb

Also called the "marc" the herbal matter is something you need to strain away. Depending on the herb and what form it's in (powder, cut & sifted, fresh, or dried), you may have to really press to get all the liquid out. I use metal strainers like these, and if I'm straining powdered herb, I'll add a few layers of cheesecloth on top of the strainer too, so I'll end up with a nice, clear liquid.

Step 8) Bottle Your Tincture

You can either leave your tincture in a larger glass jar (like a Mason jar or an apothecary jar), or you can pour them into your dropper bottles, or both, as I did here.

I usually bottle up only what I need in amber glass dropper bottles, either 4 ounce or 2 ounce.

I love these tiny funnels . I couldn't find the exact ones I use, but the ones in the link look great! I looked everywhere for small ones, and finally found them! They are perfect to help bottle into small openings, like this amber glass dropper bottle.

Step 9) Label Your Tincture

I can't stress how important this is! It's a real bummer when you go to look for your Willow Bark Tincture and you can't remember which one it is because you just KNEW you'd remember! (Yep. It happens to the best of us. Ahem.)

There are very strict FDA compliance guidelines for labeling tinctures for sale, but you don't have to worry about this for personal use. I write the herb, the ratio of herb to solvent I used, the amount of time it infused, and the bottled date. However, if I'm in a hurry, I admit, sometimes I'll just write the herb's name on the bottle and leave it at that. :-)

Here are three amber glass dropper bottles filled with my Willow Tincture, and I still have quite a bit left that I'm storing in this Mason jar downstairs in our cold room.

Step 10) Store Your Tinctures

Store them in a cool, dark place. Many herbalists like to use amber glass jars because these are helpful for keeping out light, but I've found that if I'm storing them in a dark room or cupboard a Mason jar works just fine.

That's it! Easy Peasy!

How to Use a Tincture

These are just general guidelines for basic dosage of tinctures. Because all herbs are different and do different things to the body, the amounts you'll use will vary. But what I'll share here are basic guidelines.

There are two main kinds of health problems: acute and chronic. How you'll use a tincture depends partially on which of these you are dealing with.

Acute Issues:

An acute problem is usually short-term, may develop quickly, and respond well to medications. Things like headaches, cuts or wounds, gastric distress, etc. are examples of acute issues.

Chronic Issues:

Chronic health problems develop over long periods of time, may be more difficult to treat, and need longer treatment times. Examples of a chronic health issue might be allergies, a dry cough, general fatigue, etc.

Pharmaceutical drugs are often used to treat the symptoms of chronic issues, but they simply mask the actual condition instead of healing it. Using herbal medicines wisely and correctly can help heal your body.

Dosages for Acute Issues:

For most acute problems you'll want to give a smaller doses more often over a short period of time because you want to see results quickly. So, you can give 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon tincture every hour or two for up to 6 teaspoons a day, depending on the problem. Remember, these are general guidelines.

For example, if I wake up with a headache, I'll take three full droppers (1/2 teaspoon) Willow tincture, and that usually will get rid of the headache immediately. If I need to, I'll take a bit more in an hour or two.

Here's another example: If I am having terrible menstrual cramps, I might take 1/2 teaspoon Cramp Bark tincture. This usually provides immediate relief, then as symptoms return, I take another dose, up to several a day if need be.

Be sure to research your herbs completely before using!

Dosages for Chronic Issues:

You can treat longer term problems the same as with acute issues if you want to get the unpleasant symptoms under control. But if you need to heal, you'll need a longer term plan. You take larger amounts over longer periods of time, and not as many times a day as with acute issues. The problem most people have with using herbs to heal chronic problems is remembering to be consistent with the plan! For chronic issues, an adult would take 1/2 teaspoon to 1 teaspoon one to three times a day, depending on the herb.

Here's an example of how I treated chronic PMS: Every single month for many years, I had terrible mood swings the three to five days prior to my cycle. I mean: TERRIBLE. Everyone just stayed away from me, and this made me feel bad. Well, this went on for years because I was told (by a doctor) to just deal with it and I got "poo-poohed" when I tried to explain that I felt absolutely insane on those days!

Here's how I finally solved this chronic issue: I started taking Vitex and Motherwort Tinctures. I took Motherwort every day (1/2 teaspoon in the morning---or 3 droppers full) and again the same amount at night. I also took Vitex starting six or seven days before my cycle was to start. After a month of this I saw a great difference. After about three months, I was an angel during those days. Pretty amazing!

Dosages for Children:

First of all, I will say that I am very careful about using herbal medications with children. But for a child who is 9 to 12 and of average size, 1 dropper full of tincture is a good starting point. That's about 1/6 of a teaspoon. For children 4 to 6, start with about 15 drops (not droppers full). You can give tinctures to children younger than this, but I'll let you research that on your own and make that decision. (I am NOT a doctor.)

Also, always research your herbs before giving them to children, or anyone, for that matter! You can find out very specific information about dosing in Rosemary Gladstar's book, Medicinal Herbs: A Beginner's Guide. If you are new to using herbs, I believe this book is a MUST have. It's quite a comprehensive overview for all the hows, whys, whats, etc. about herbs---plus there is a reader-friendly materia medica for some really wonderful and safe herbs and how to use them, along with many recipes. I love this book!

Final Thoughts About Herbal Tinctures

NOTE: It's important to know what you are doing with herbs. For example, some herbs are NOT meant to be used over the long term. Goldenseal, for example, has excellent antibiotic properties, however, it should not be used longer than three weeks, or drying of the mucous membranes may result.

It's ok to start your herbal journey with GRAS (Generally Regarded as Safe) herbs, and experience the results with your own body. However, please be sure to research, discuss with an herbalist, and yes, I'm going to say this because I must): Talk with your doctor first (even though, if your doctor is like mine, he might roll his eyes around in his head and smirk at you like you are a besotted fool.) Please note my disclaimer at the end of this article.

Herbal medicine is incredibly powerful and I believe it has a rightful place alongside allopathic medicine. I believe both are good and necessary. It's very sad that our traditional ways have been "educated" out of us to increase the power of Big Pharma and Big Money. In the last five or six decades, at least, children have grown up believing that they need to go to the doctor and 'take a pill" to get better. And now, herbal medicine is looked upon with suspicion. It's time to change all that!

Have you ever made and/or tried an herbal tincture? What was your experience? I'd love for you to share!

Hugs & Self-Reliance!

Heidi

P.S. I hope you'll sign up for our newsletter and never miss a thing! I'll be sending you TWO free eBooks to download too---one with my favorite essential oil diffuser recipes and the other is about how to use herbs to relax and de-stress!

P.P.S. If you are interested in delving even deeper and learning more about using herbs and making your own plant medicines, how about taking a course! I've take lots of them over the years, and I always learn amazing new things! The The Herbal Academy of New England has many excellent programs, which I recommend and have taken myself!

DISCLAIMER: I am not a medical doctor or medical professional. In no manner, stated or implied, is any information in this article, on my website, in my products, or elsewhere, meant to treat, cure, diagnose, or prevent any health issue. My statements are for informational purposes only and are simply my personal opinion based on experience and study. Please always seek advice from your doctor before using any herbs or herbal remedy. These statements have not been evaluated by the FDA.

Hi. I'm Heidi. I am a mid-life homesteader/teacher-turned-blogger! We live off-grid on less than an acre with lots of animals... READ MORE....

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